Iraqi MP urges balanced ethnic representation in Kirkuk security institutions

BAGHDAD, Iraq — An Iraqi member of parliament has called for ethnic quotas in Kirkuk's security institutions to be distributed evenly among Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen, citing the province's multi-ethnic demographic makeup. MP Kolisl Mohammed said clear and fair admission criteria should be set to reflect the city's diverse components, arguing that previous results had raised doubts about representation for some groups. He urged the prime minister, in his capacity as supreme commander of the armed forces, and the Interior Ministry to develop a formula that guarantees representation for all of Kirkuk's ethnic components. Mohammed also called for a review of the weighting criteria used in past admissions, without specifying which components had been underrepresented. His remarks come as the Higher Institute for Security and Administrative Development has opened applications for university graduates for its new preparation cycle, the period during which recruitment decisions are typically finalized.